A Good Night
by acosytoken
Summary: It infuriated her, his ability to know her so well, and yet she found she liked him all the more for it. Somewhere in her mind a voice reminded her that she didn't like Potter, couldn't like him, but the way he was looking at her made her think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad, liking James.


**Hello! I've been on this website for years, and this is the very first story I've put on here. So, I'm pretty nervous, haha. Anyway, let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

"Sexist."

The remaining occupants of the Gryffindor common room went quiet. Four heads turned in Lily's direction simultaneously; Sirius' and James' eyes were lit with amusement, Remus looked thoughtful, and Peter's brows were furrowed in confusion.

"What, my dear Evans, did you just call me?"

Lily's eyes flashed excitedly at James' question. Lately she had been relishing their 'arguments,' their heated discussions that often ended with red faces and beating hearts. But it wasn't like she had a crush on him, of course. Lily Evans having a crush on James Potter was about as likely to happen as Sirius swearing off girls for a year. No, she didn't like James at all. She was just an avid supporter of working out creative differences with her peers. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

She and James were sitting close to each other, in front of the crackling fireplace, and Lily couldn't help but notice how the flames had casted interesting shadows upon his face. A small part of her thought he looked quite dashing. Sirius and Remus were near, embroiled in a heated match of wizard's chess. From the levels of Sirius' shouting and the uncharacteristically cocky expression on Remus' face, the sandy-haired boy must have been winning. Peter was nestled on the sofa, his legs tucked beneath him in a feminine fashion, and he clutched a book that Lily couldn't quite identify. She wasn't surprised at Peter's choice of activity. Many considered him a slow, dim-witted boy who had never stepped foot in the library, but Lily knew he read voraciously.

The rest of the Gryffindors were either in their dormitories or stocking up on butterbeer and chocolate frogs down in Hogsmeade. Marlene had begged Lily to go to The Three Broomsticks with her for some quality girl time, but Lily had declined, opting instead for a calm night lounging in the common room.

"You heard me, Potter. It's so sexist, so…_chauvinistic_ of you to call Bernadette Scott a slag for going out with a lot of boys, when your friend Sirius over there has probably dated nearly all of the girls at Hogwarts!" Lily said, wondering when she and James had inched closer to each other. Their knees were practically touching.

"Hey!" Sirius shouted from across the coffee table. He had feigned offence by gasping and fluttering his hand to his chest, but his grin was wide and wolfish.

"But that's _different_!" James whined, though the corners of his mouth were quirked upwards.

Lily derived a strange sense of comfort from James' consistency. His black hair was unruly as usual, his familiar brown eyes wide and inviting, and the tie hanging around his collar was boyishly loose, just like he always had it. Lily didn't know when she had begun to consider him a constant in her life, and it frightened her to think about what that meant.

Remus piped up. "No, Lily's right. It's like a double standard, or something."

Lily silently thanked Remus for reminding her of the phrase; being this close to Potter seemed to have an adverse effect on her memory. "Exactly. But you probably don't even know what that means, do you Potter? When was the last time you even opened a book?"

It was mean. And not even one of her best insults for him. But the scathing remark on Potter's new haircut that she had come up with last night in bed didn't quite fit organically into their current argument. She'd save that one for another day.

"Tsk, tsk, Evans, not your best comeback. One might say that sitting so close to the handsome, brilliant, _amazing _Quidditch star James Potter has turned your brain into mush. Don't worry, I have that effect on girls."

"Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, Potter, _everyone_ loses brain cells by being around you."

James grinned, his smile reaching his brown eyes, and Lily almost stopped breathing. Not because of Potter or anything, of course. The fireplace was probably just giving her acute smoke inhalation. She coughed a bit to convince herself.

"Nice one, Lily," James said, his voice sounding proud. "But Bernadette's still a slag. So is Sirius, though, for that matter. And besides, I wasn't saying it like it was a _bad_ thing."

Sirius and Remus had resumed their match, their animated conversation drowning out James' and Lily's no longer heated argument. She and James were now closer than ever, and Lily came to notice the little flecks of gold in James' eyes, almost hidden behind his glasses. Had those always been there? She had to stop herself from leaning in closer to get a better look.

Tearing herself from his gaze, Lily scoffed. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, _really_," James replied. Was it Lily's imagination or did his voice seem…lower, almost huskier than usual? "Nothing wrong with sex, Evans. Make love, not war, right?"

At the mention of sex, Lily's mind flipped. How could a person make a word sound so attractive? And now Potter was staring at her lips, as if he was memorizing their every detail, mentally photographing them for future posterity. Oh Merlin, this boy would be the death of her.

A particularly loud bark from Sirius shattered whatever moment they were having, and Lily's heart panged. It wasn't like he was going to kiss her or anything. Lily and James had come to a truce of sorts at the start of the semester. He had promised not to bombard her with date proposals and she had vowed to acknowledge his existence every once in a while. He probably didn't even _like_ her anymore, if his flirting with Josie Temple the other day was evidence enough.

"Right, well," Lily began, standing up so fast that she almost stumbled backwards. "I had no idea you were so…progressive, Potter. Congratulations on evolving past caveman status, I suppose, but I'm going to bed."

It was a flimsy excuse, but she had to get out of there and away from the inexplicably confusing, frustrating, and maddening boy that was James Potter. His eyes didn't leave her as he rose up gracefully, and he smirked as if he could see right through her declaration, as if he knew how much he affected her. It infuriated her, his ability to _know_ her so well, and yet she found she liked him all the more for it. Somewhere in her mind a voice reminded her that she didn't like Potter, _couldn't_ like him, but the way he was looking at her made her think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad, liking James.

"Goodnight," she nodded stiffly, turning and hurrying to the stairs leading to her dormitory. There would be no sleep for Lily tonight. She would be endlessly analyzing the way Potter's eyes brightened when she gave him a good insult, or how his stupid hair always stuck out no matter how many times he patted it down, or how his arms looked when his sleeves were rolled up…

"Wait," James called, and when Lily turned, he was in front of her, his face mere inches from hers. He leaned forward, his eyes dark and serious, and then kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Goodnight, Lily Evans."

James smiled, ruffled his hair, and ran back to his friends, content in the way Lily's cheeks had flushed and her lips had parted in that moment. She _so_ liked him, he thought confidently, it was just a matter of time before she realized it.

Lily's mind was delightfully blank as she floated to her bed, and she found that she could not stop smiling for the rest of the night. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, liking James Potter.


End file.
